For the Love of Books Podcast

Deborah Frontiera’s Living on Sisu: The 1913 Union Copper Strike Tragedy is a compelling novel for young adult readers which follows the adventures and experiences of twelve-year-old Emma Neimi and her family and community who are caught up in the 1913-14 strike in thecopper district of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.

Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery @moraviansons and Doc Chavent.

Frontiera has done an excellent job of exploring the history of the strike through Emma’s diary which follows all the key event and

issues in the strike, including the false call of fire which caused the death of seventy-three (sic.), primarily children of those attending a Christmas Eve party for strikers’ families. 

An audio book is also available.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Living on Sisu.

Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Frank Demith will be the featured speaker at the Patriotic evening in Moravian Sons Distillery tasting room located inside The Old Theater in downtown Lowell, MI on June 6 starting at 4 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge. You can buy your tickets ahead of time at www.theoldtheater.com

 

Frank Demith entered the army after graduating high school. He was awarded an appointment to the United States Military Academy and graduated with the class of 1983. He spent 26 years on active duty and retired in 2007 later serving additional 2.5 years on active duty.

Episode sponsored by award-winning author Frank Demith, Moravian Sons Distillery, Modern History Press and Doc Chavent.

He was the program manager for Army Interpreter/Translator program which recruited more than 1500 green card holders who were native speakers of Arabic, Dari, Pashto or Farsi.

He is the recipient of the United Nations Icon of Change Award in recognition of work in support of immigrants while in the military and as part of the civilian workforce.

He has received International Impact awards for both of his books Of Vital Interest and Defending the Eagle.

Take a  listen for a chance to win signed copy of Defending the Eagle.

Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Happy Mayday.

Today's episode is especially close to my heart because I’m sharing the story behind my newest novel, The Quest for the Lost Town.

Sponsored by authors Emma Palova, Frank Demith, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.

The Quest for the Lost Town is the long-awaited sequel to The Lost Town and it dives deep into the story behind the lumbering town of Singapore, MI poised to rival Chicago and Milwaukee in 1837. But instead-- Singapore disappeared in the aftermath of the Great Fire of Chicago.

 Much like the residents of Saugatuck, I still to this day believe that the town exists beneath the shifting sands on the shores of Lake Michigan. It was that belief that propelled me to pursue the sequel to a seemingly dead-end story with only protruding roofs as a clue.

“A whole town cannot disappear,” said a fan at the Grand Rapids Women’s Expo in 2023. “Sometimes we see protruding roofs from the sands.”

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of The Quest for the Lost Town.

The stunning book cover art is by graphic artist Jeanne Boss.

Copyright (c) 2026 Emma Palova. All rights reserved.

Today, we’re diving right into the magic of the Third Coast Authors & Books Festival—one of the most exciting bookish events on the lakeshore in beautiful Grand Haven set for March 21.

Sponsored by authors Kiril Kristoff, Jennifer Montiel, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.

 

Think great books, passionate readers, lively conversations, and a whole lot of inspiration packed into one unforgettable day.

Whether you’re a reader, a writer, or someone who just loves the magic of storytelling, this festival—and this episode—is for you.

I’m joined by some incredible guests who help make the festival happen, along with talented authors who bring the stories to life.

So grab your favorite drink, settle in, and let’s celebrate books, community, and the stories that connect us all.

Our magic guests today are: Mike O'Brien, festival founder and owner of The Book Cellar and author magicians Jean Davis and Verra West.

Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Award-winning author Frank Demith talks about his unique method of writing his second book historical fiction Defending The Eagle.

Defending The Eagle is a tense, gripping, and emotionally complex portrayal of war—not just as a battlefield of weapons and tactics, but as a crucible for identity, loyalty, and survival.

Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent

 

Set against the scorched backdrop of an Iraqi desert warzone, the novel immerses the reader in a world where every decision carries the weight of life and death, and where the line between enemy and ally is constantly shifting.

Listen in for the podcast book giveaway by Frank Demith.

Emma Blogs, LLC.  (c) 2026 All rights reserved.

Beyond Betrayal is set in Baltimore, Maryland at the turn of the century. Abigail and Bill are married and starting a family. Peter, their first born, dies at three months of age.

Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, author Terri Martin and Doc Chavent.

Peter's death is an inciting catalyst for Abigail's mental illness. She taps, counts, and counts and taps feverishly. Her husband Bill and her mother-in-law pursue a way to help Abigail regain her stability. The nascent theories of William James and Sigmund Freud are on the horizon.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Beyond Betrayal.

Copyright (c) 2026. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

I had heard from an early age that we were related to James Otis the Patriot and had the impression he was important in Boston before the American Revolution. I was always curious in the back of my mind about what happened to him; why was he famous then but forgotten in the centuries that followed? 

Sponsored by Modern History Press, Moravian Sons Distillery, authors Terri Martin, Diana Magnuson and Doc Chavent.

As I began to research James Otis and then the patriots he influenced, such as Samuel Adams and John Hancock, I came to see he was an extremely powerful force in resistance to the British. As a brilliant lawyer, Otis argued against the use of warrants called the Writs of Assistance which allowed British custom officials to barge into homes or businesses willy nilly looking for smuggled good. Young John Adams was in the courtroom that fateful day and later wrote that Otis’ argument of that case was when “the child Independence was born.” So, you could say that John Adams convinced me to write this book.

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Sparks of the Revolution

Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, All rights reserved.

Saugatuck Art in the Park Sept. 13, 2025, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sponsored by author LeAnne Kelley, Moravian Sons Distillery and Doc Chavent.

Since 2016, Anna Donahue dedicated her time to sharing her business secrets to success with fellow artists. Over these last few years, Anna helped over 1,000 artists move from hobbyists to career artists who can make a living on their work. Her creation and continued work at Art in the Park Saugatuck continues to inspire new artists and change lives.

Forty-two vendors will be at Art in the Park in Saugatuck including authors Emma Palova and Jean Davis.

For a full list go to https://emmapalova.com

 

Copyright (c) 2025. Emma Blogs, LLC.  All rights reserved.

"Healing and being healed are some of the most human of all activities, and Brown encourages us to dive deeply into their rivers."

                                  Scott's Book Review

In her new book Daughters of Green Mountain Gap, author Teri M. Brown dives deeply into the healing rivers of the main characters Granny Maggie, her daughter Carrie Ann, and granddaughter Josie May.

Sponsored by Moravian Sons Distillery, Doc Chavent, and author Carla Stockton.

 

Maggie McCoury, a generational healer woman, relies on family traditions, folklore, and beliefs gleaned from a local Cherokee tribe.

Her daughter, Carrie Ann, believes her university training holds the answers. As they clash over the use of roots, herbs, and a dash of mountain magic versus the medicine available in the town’s apothecary, Josie Mae doesn’t know whom to follow. But what happens when neither family traditions nor science can save the ones you love most?

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Daughters of Green Mountain Gap.

Copyright (c)Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.

 

In Marie LaPres' young adult fiction Beyond the Fort, the main character Christine Belanger has always loved learning about the past. Still, she may get more history than she bargained for when she finds herself at Colonial Michilimackinac in the year 1775. In the past, Christine meets fellow time travelers, Henri and Jacques, French fur traders, and British soldiers.

She quickly learns that the tensions are high between the French and British, and Henri and Christine uncover the plot of a British Leftenant who plans to eradicate all French settlers in the Mackinac Straits area. It's up to Christine and Henri to save the settlers, and possibly change the course of history. Can Christine and Henri outwit Lewis and save the fort? Will Christine be able to survive Colonial America without all of the amenities she is used to…especially her cell phone?

Listen in for a chance to win a signed copy of Beyond the Fort.

Sponsored by Doc Chavent.